This release contains data from ISPs with more than 1,000 subscribers operating in Australia as at 30 June 2011. The Main Features section contains all data reported by ISPs with more than 1,000 subscribers, even for census cycles. Separate data for census cycles are contained in the associated data cubes.

The ABS counts subscribers that have an internet connection with an ISP on the last day of the reference period. ABS subscriber statistics measure the number of 'subscriber lines' rather than the number of 'users' and therefore, counts of subscribers are not the same as counts of people/organisations with internet access. This is because some subscribers may have accounts with more than one ISP or multiple accounts with a single ISP. Conversely, there are single ISP subscriber accounts that provide internet access for multiple people/organisations (for example, universities).

Decreases in the number of ISPs can be attributed to the consolidation of ISPs or ISPs no longer being in scope, either by ceasing ISP activity or reporting a decrease in the number of subscribers.

In reporting sector data, ISPs may reclassify their subscribers from Business and government to Household, or vice versa, or they may report proportions in lieu of actual numbers which may impact upon the reported figures.

The ability of ISPs to report the volume of data downloaded is variable. Data presented for these items should only be considered as an indicative measure of internet activity during the reference period and therefore should be used with caution. The occurrence of special events during a cycle may result in abnormally high downloads. Data reported by ISPs for the volume of data downloaded via mobile handsets may only include revenue generating downloads and not monthly data allowances or downloads from free applications.

Detailed and historical information is available in the accompanying data cubes.

HIGHLIGHTS

At the end of June 2011, there were 10.9 million internet subscribers in Australia (excluding internet connections through mobile handsets). This represents annual growth of 14.8% and an increase of 4.4% since the end of December 2010.

The phasing out of dial-up internet connections continued with 95% of internet connections being broadband.

Australians continued to access increasingly faster download speeds, with 87% of access connections offering a download speed of 1.5Mbps or greater.

Internet activity summary, Australia, for ISPs with more than 1,000 subscribers

Jun 2010(a)

Dec 2010

Jun 2011

Number of ISPs(b)

Medium ISPs

no.

72

71

64

Large ISPs

no.

23

21

23

Very large ISPs

no.

12

12

10

Total number of ISPs

no.

107

104

97

Sector(c)

Dial-up (less than 256kbps)(d)

Business and government

'000

177

189

111

Household

'000

607

518

468

Total dial-up subscribers

'000

785

707

579

Broadband (256kbps or greater)(d)

Business and government

'000

1 681

2 144

2 089

Household

'000

7 036

7 595

8 239

Total broadband subscribers

'000

8 717

9 739

10 328

All subscribers

Business and government

'000

1 859

2 333

2 200

Household

'000

7 643

8 112

8 707

Total number of subscribers

'000

9 502

10 446

10 906

Access connections

Dial-up(d)

'000

784

707

569

Broadband(d)

DSL

'000

4 212

4 458

4 493

Cable

'000

np

np

881

Fibre

'000

13

24

31

Satellite

'000

np

np

106

Fixed wireless

'000

25

24

34

Mobile wireless

'000

3 453

4 230

4 786

Other broadband

'000

np

np

7

All broadband connections

'000

8 718

9 739

10 338

Total number of subscribers

'000

9 502

10 446

10 906

Advertised download speed

Less than 256kbps

'000

785

707

579

Broadband

256kbps to less than 1.5Mbps

'000

1 950

1 240

812

1.5Mbps to less than 8Mbps

'000

3 540

4 067

4 614

8Mbps to less than 24Mbps

'000

2 594

3 530

3 913

24Mbps or greater(e)

'000

632

901

na

24Mbps to less than 100Mbps(e)

'000

na

na

972

100Mbps or greater(e)

'000

na

na

18

Broadband (256kbps or greater)

'000

8 717

9 739

10 328

Total number of subscribers

'000

9 502

10 446

10 906

Volume of data downloaded(f)

Dial-up

TB

280

183

106

Broadband

Fixed line(g)

TB

141 892

174 665

254 947

Wireless(h)

TB

13 330

16 990

19 149

Total broadband

TB

155 222

191 655

274 096

Total volume of data downloaded

TB

155 503

191 839

274 202

na not available

np not available for publication but included in totals where applicable, unless otherwise indicated

(a) Even though this is a census cycle which collects data from all ISPs, data is only for ISPs with more than 1,000 subscribers.

(b) See paragraph 8 of the Explanatory Notes for ISP size categories. Decreases to ISP numbers can be attributed to consolidation of ISPs or ISPs becoming out of scope of the survey.

(c) ISPs may reclassify their subscribers from Business and government to Household, or vice versa, or they may report proportions in lieu of actual numbers which may impact upon the reported figures. Readers are advised to use these figures with caution.

(d) Dial-up and broadband figures by Sector are collected by advertised download speeds, therefore these data may not equal figures reported for type of access connection, due to some broadband connections being reported as less than 256kbps.

(e) Prior to June 2011 advertised download speed reported for 24Mbps or greater. From June 2011 data reported for 24Mbps to less than 100Mbps and 100Mbps or greater.

(f) Data reported for the 3 month period prior to the reference date.

(g) Fixed line includes DSL, cable, fibre and other fixed line broadband,

At the end of June 2011, there were 9.7 million mobile handset subscribers in Australia. This represents an increase of 18.1% from December 2010.

Of the 9.7 million mobile handsets, 3.6 million (37%) were dedicated data subscriptions and 6.1 million all other active standard mobile subscriptions.

The volume of data downloaded via mobile handsets over the three months ended 30 June 2011 was 3,695 Terabytes.

Internet connections via a mobile handset, for ISPs with more than 1,000 subscribers

Jun 2010

Dec 2010

Jun 2011

Number of subscribers

Dedicated data subscription(a)

'000

1 214

1 222

3 609

All other standard mobile subscription(b)

'000

5 566

6 974

6 074

Total mobile handset subscribers

'000

6 781

8 197

9 683

Volume of data downloaded(c)

Via a mobile handset

TB

717

4 029

3 695

(a) A dedicated data subscription is a subscription over a mobile network which is purchased separately from voice services, either as a stand-alone service or as an add-on package to voice services.

(b) An active standard mobile subscription refers to a mobile service which has access to the internet via HTTP and has been used to make a data connection using Internet Protocol (IP) within the three month period prior to the reference date. This includes all casual/incidental browsing where a dedicated data subscription has not specifically been purchased.

(c) Data reported for the 3 month period prior to the reference date.

ROUNDING

Where figures have been rounded, discrepancies may occur between the sum of components and the total. Proportions have been calculated using unrounded data.

INQUIRIES

For further information about these and related statistics, contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070 or Andrew Puljic on Perth (08) 9360 5229.

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